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“Will you have peace, or will you have war?” asks Bard (Luke Evans), the question that hangs over every man, dwarf, and elf in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Peter Jackson’s final delve into Middle Earth. As a foreshadowing answer to that question, the film starts with a bang and a blaze, picking up right where The Desolation of Smaug left off.

If you’re in search of stunning visuals, thrilling battle sequences, and other general epic happenings, BOTFA will exceed all your expectations and beyond. Creative license is certainly taken throughout, the success of the many and various deviations from J.R.R. Tolkien’s work subject to opinion. Where the film lacks, however, is in the character relationships and development; much tension and weight is given to foreboding glances and one-liners, while the most climactic scenes are quick and underwhelming.

Amid all the drama, however, the most poignant moment is one of relative calm is when we find Gandalf (Sir Ian McKellen) and Bilbo (Martin Freeman) sitting side by side in silence and battle-rubble while the wizard tries futilely to light his pipe. Likewise, it is Freeman’s perfect and understated performance that shines like the Arkenstone through other somewhat over-acted portrayals. McKellen is, as always, brilliant, and other standouts include Evans, Aidan Turner as Kili, and Lee Pace as Thranduil.

With so much time dedicated to the battle itself, little is left for the ending, which is a tad jumbled and will raise questions for anyone who has not read the book. The very last scene, however, satisfyingly ends where The Fellowship of the Ring begins, with an aged Bilbo (Ian Holm) preparing for his Long Expected Party.

While The Battle of the Five Armies is not without imperfections, it is unmissable for any fans of Middle Earth. Not surprisingly, the best line comes from Thorin (Richard Armitage), who, both paraphrasing Tolkien and essentially summing up the entire plot, gives us this little aphorism: “If more of us valued home over gold, the world would be a better place.”